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Critical Thinking – Know Your and others frame of reference

What is frame of reference ?

A frame of reference is a critical thinking skill that means point of view or perspective, a frame of reference is shaped by our prior knowledge, assumptions values or language, about others. But majority of the time, we are engaged in proving our frame of reference whereas the success lies in understanding the other’s frame of reference and discuss what matters most.

Our frames of reference influence our thinking and our decision-making. Not only do we need to identify our own frames of reference but we need to be able to identify other people’s frame of references as well, since each person has his own frame of reference, you can begin to imagine the difficulty of reaching an agreement in a business meeting where everyone has their own personal perspective .

When it comes to making decisions and solving problems, it’s important to recognize that we all have frames of reference, and that they can greatly influence our thinking and decision-making. A good question to ask yourself to help you identify your own frame of reference.

What is frame of reference ?

  • Analysis
  • Communication
  • Creativity
  • Open-Mindedness
  • Problem Solving

Two different account of the same topic

Description #1 – A small company has clearly demonstrated that the American dream is still alive and well. What began as a small store emphasizing bargain prices for consumers has become one of the most successful retail chains in the world. This highly successful company has done more to employ people and keep prices low so consumers can still get a bargain. The giant retailer has set a precedent and changed the way retail companies do business. For years it was the manufacturer that dictated the price. Whenever the manufacturer raise their price, retailers were forced into raising their retail prices as well. The result being the consumer paid more. But this highly successful company buys in such high volume that they actually tell the manufacturer what they will pay and if the wholesale price is too high , the manufacturer must lower it or lose business. In some instances when the manufacture refused to lower their prices, the company refused to buy any more of their products, thus putting tremendous pressure on them to lower their prices or lose a substantial amount of sales! Never before has a retail company ever been able to do this – to dictate to manufactures what they will pay for their goods. Thus, they are able to continuously provide bargains for the consumers.
The great things that this company has done is not limited to the US. The company has gone to foreign markets to buy goods at lower costs. This has resulted in thousands of people in poor countries who were unemployed, now being employed. These same people who had no work at all are now drawing a pay check each week. In addition, the company insists on high quality and good working conditions and they actually inspect foreign factories . Americans should take pride in the great accomplishments of this company.
Description#2– A company which began as a small business has grown to gigantic proportions and in the process has put hundreds of small neighborhood business and cost thousands of people their jobs. But the damage didn’t stop there. This company buys in such high volume that they actually dictate the price of wholesale goods. If a manufacturer refuses to lower their price, the company ceases to do business with that manufacturer. In many instances, the manufacture simply couldn’t afford to lower their prices. Their cost of operation and cost of raw materials had increased. However, once the company stopped doing business with the manufacture, sales plummeted so low that the manufacture was forced to go out of business. Thousands of people lost their jobs. They were eventually forced to go to work at the very business that put them out of work, of course at considerable lower wages, or remain unemployed.
One might be able to rationalize that at least the company continues to offer bargains to consumers. However, this really isn’t the case. To be sure, there are some bargains this company offers. But those are the lead items at front of each store. As one goes down the aisle one discovers , (if paying attention )that the other considerably higher, even higher than competitor retail stores! But many are fool when they see the initially low-priced items as they enter the store and even end up actually paying more than what is the same product would cost in another retail store!
The Company has faced and lost a class action suit by workers for an fair working conditions. But what goes on in this country is nothing compare to what happens overseas. The company does business in several foreign countries. They have created factories which are staffed by ‘slave labourers’ earning $17 an hour or less! These workers are forced to work very long hours with no overtime. Even in a foreign country where the cost of living is considerably less than the US, $17 an hour or less can only be described as ‘slave labour’. There have been documented stories on TV about this. This company is exploiting foreign workers, yet claiming they are helping the economies of these foreign countries. Americans should be ashamed of what this company is doing.

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